3M RO System NSF-Certified to Remove Chromium-6

On Dec. 22, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator announced several actions the agency will undertake to review the prevalence and impact of hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, in public water supplies. In January, the agency “issued guidance recommending how public water systems might enhance monitoring and sampling programs” of chromium-6.

The December EPA announcement and subsequent guidelines were made following a study by the Environmental Working Group citing the presence of the chemical in the tap water of 31 of 35 cities it tested, as well as a host of other harmful industrial chemicals and even pharmaceutical drugs. In response to the study, EPA agreed to “offer technical expertise and assistance to communities cited in the recent Environmental Working Group study with the highest levels of chromium.”

“Many people may not be aware of the possibility that there could be contaminants in the water they use for drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning,” said Victor Zaldivar, business leader of 3M Clean Water Solutions. “By filtering the water in our homes, we can reduce our potential exposure to certain contaminants and provide cleaner, clearer water for our families.”

The 3M Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System is NSF-certified for the reduction of chromium-6. The reverse osmosis membrane is capable of reducing contaminants at the molecular level and is effective at reducing ionic molecules including chromium.

The 3M Clean Water Solutions drinking water portfolio includes four systems that are NSF-certified for the reduction of a variety of contaminants. Reduction claims range from chlorine taste and odor to more potentially harmful contaminants such as lead and chromium-6.

“We believe everyone deserves access to cleaner water in their lives, and we work each and every day to make that possible,” Zaldivar said. “We encourage individuals to learn more about their water and to make informed choices for their families.”